BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AJR 2
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 20, 2005

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                   Judy Chu, Chair

                  AJR 2 (Evans) - As Introduced:  December 6, 2005 

          Policy Committee:                              Veterans  
          AffairsVote: 8-0 (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This resolution memorializes the President and Congress to  
          favorably consider legislation granting full benefits to  
          Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces, including  
          hospital and nursing home care, as well as medical services,  
          pension, and burial benefits.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          If Congress were to grant the full benefits, the state might  
          realize savings to the extent the Filipino veterans would become  
          eligible for federally-funded veterans benefit program in lieu  
          programs, such as Medi-Cal, that the state partially funds.

           COMMENTS  

           Background and Purpose  . As a result of the Rescission Act of  
          1946, federal law explicitly precludes service in World War II  
          by organized Filipino military forces from qualifying as active  
          service in the U.S. Military for purposes of benefits under  
          programs administered by the United State Secretary of Veterans  
          Affairs.

          During and after World War II, several groups of Filipino  
          soldiers served under the American flag, including: (a) those  
          who fought in regular components of the U.S. Armed Forces,  
          including Philippine Scouts (called "Old Scouts"), who served  
          prior to October 6, 1945, (b) members of the Commonwealth Army  
          of the Philippines, called into service between 1941 and 1946,  
          and (c) Special Scouts ("New Scouts"), formed in 1945.









                                                                  AJR 2
                                                                  Page  2

          Following World War II, medical benefits were given to those who  
          served in the U.S. Armed Forces or were Old Scouts. Medical  
          benefits, at the rate of 50 cents per dollar of cost, were  
          provided to those Commonwealth Army and New Scout veterans who  
          died, were wounded, or disabled. In recent years, the California  
          Legislature has overwhelmingly passed several resolutions, all  
          similar to the one being proposed, asking Congress to grant  
          benefits to Commonwealth Army and New Scouts veterans.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081